Ping becomes defensive amid gov’t media blitz

From offense to defense.

This is the unfortunate twist of fate that opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson, the whistleblower in the Jose Pidal controversy, has found himself in.

Lacson told reporters yesterday that the camp of First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo took advantage of his two-week absence to wage what he described as a black propaganda campaign against him.

He said the President’s husband is spending tens of millions for his "propaganda blitz."

He said Arroyo’s camp, speaking through Bulacan lawyer Jesus Santos, "convicted swindler" Blanquita Pelaez, paid hacks in the media, and other media handlers, peddled "lies" during his absence about his supposed houses in the United States and BF Homes in Parañaque, and his alleged US deposits.

He said such "lies" have lingered in the public mind, forcing him to make a clarification.

He admitted owning a house at 1011 Laguna Seca Loop, Chula Vista, California in early 1996, but that he sold it that same year through younger brother Ernani. The house is now owned by Pilar Diemer, he said.

Lacson denied owning seven other California houses that Santos has claimed the opposition senator owns. He said a simple check with the website of CourthouseDirect.com would show that the following houses belong to other persons:

• 2305 Sea Island Place, Chula Vista — owned by Ernani Lacson and wife Perceviranda.

• 14300 Terra Bella St. 73, Panorama City — owned by Ricardo So and Rosalinda Tiu.

• 2252 Mountain Ridge Road, Chula Vista —owned by Felix and Margarita Sablan.

• 14300 Terra Bella St. 60, Panorama City — owned by Noemi Sanchez.

• 3005 F. Plaza Blvd., National City — owned by Sylvia Cruz.

• 2295 California St., San Francisco — owned by Friedman Trust.

• 3550 Locust Ave., Long Beach — owned by Jill Petoniak.

Lacson said Pelaez lied when she claimed that he owns a house at 280 El Grande Ave., BF Homes. The house is owned by one Josie Rapay.

"I was told that Miss Josie Rapay was very angry since this was the second time that her house was shown on television and reported to be owned by me. Unfortunately, this lie by Ms. Pelaez was not immediately corrected in the media," he said.

He also denied having $1.2 million in a US bank account as Santos claims.

He said he and his wife had less than $200,000 and Santos’ "crazy accounting and faulty arithmetic bloated my and my wife’s actual money by almost 600 percent."